Day 69 - Chovar and Kirtipur, Nepal

Day 69 – His.

 

Life in the village sinks in your head without you really realising it and though we have been here for such a short time we have become a regular sight on the streets and already everybody knows about us and who we are. Equally the village routine has to a degree become our own and we go about our daily tasks without really thinking about it or noticing a day has passed – consequently very little seems to have happened today. We went to work, I cleared out a new section of the old school building ready for the renovation work and everybody said hi as we went by. That in itself doesn’t seem like much but you try saying Namaste a hundred times a day as you press your hands into a lotus and bow – wondering all the time if the degree of your bow shows the proper respect and see if you feel it some small thing.

The section of work I had to do today was larger than yesterday so I worked past Steve and Patti and had to catch up with them in the village cafe as they were just finishing a coffee. But bless them they hung around for me to sit a while and enjoy a cup with them. I have taken to changing at work – which is just as well as the sweaty poop stained clothes I have been using absolutely reek and they are fit for the bin – at least they will be when we leave – which is in just a couple of days time.

Patti and I have mixed feelings about this – one the one hand it will be nice to have a hot shower and something different for breakfast than spicy rice – but on the other we a going to miss our host family who really seem to have taken to us – particularly Patti. She most certainly has a new friend here.

Patti’s new dress arrived today and we had the obligatory showing off and photo session on the roof – she looks most beautiful in it and I think she plans to wear it to school tomorrow – this will certainly cause some comments but I think she will carry it off famously.

Over dinner we taught our host father a new card game and sat for an hour or so playing it. He had huge fun – which I am glad about because he seems to want to get to know me better but the language barrier is just too great (For him at least – our host mother is quite happy to mime and use a dictionary – maybe it’s a pride kind of thing.) Whatever the reason it was nice to spend a little time with him having fun.

The work I am doing at the moment is pretty tiring and after dinner – though more cards had been suggested – we all went to bed and I cannot say I am unhappy about that. A little reading and lights out early, I think.